(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Delia Arnold, who caused an upset to reach the semi-finals of the Asian Championships in Kuala Lumpur a week ago, followed it with the best win of her career in the first round of the British Open yesteday.
The Malaysian qualifier overcame the fifth-seeded Alison Waters, a player more than good enough to influence the destination of this year's title, by 11-8, 11-5, 11-4 - a result as startling for its manner as its outcome.
Arnold trailed 3-6 in the first game yet outplayed Waters almost totally thereafter.
She relentlessly took advantage of the many strange errors made by the Englishwoman, who clinched the world team title for her country in December and has risen to a career-high world number three.
There was no doubting the focus and level-headedness of Arnold once she saw her chance, but Waters's ineffectual performance-possibly affected by a collision to the back of her leg early on-remained a mystery.
She departed the arena in Hull, northern England, quickly without speaking to reporters.
Meanwhile a level-headed Arnold said afterwards: "I just wanted to go on there and see what I could do, without pressure. But I was definitely helped by what happened at the Asian Championships. That gave me confidence. "I am quite surprised by what has happened though. I had played the qualifying, but it was Alison's first match, and it was before her home crowd, so obviously there was a lot of pressure on her.
"I don't get to play on a glass show-court like this very often, so I'm even more pleased with this result, but I shall have to see how it feels tomorrow," she said, sounding a warning note. That may be because she next plays Annie Au, the 11th-seeded Hong Kong player, to whom she lost in a close five-game semi-final in the Asian Championships.
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